


But you

by NymeriaPoisonArrow



Series: Sentinel Nora Foster one shots [1]
Category: Fallout 4
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Goodneighbour, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Pre-Relationship, Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms, chems
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-10
Updated: 2016-07-10
Packaged: 2018-07-22 18:58:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,352
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7450435
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NymeriaPoisonArrow/pseuds/NymeriaPoisonArrow
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Paladin Danse is sent out to find Sentinel Nora Foster.<br/>This scenario happens after the events of the main story.</p><p>*Slight AU where Danse is not banished from the BoS</p>
            </blockquote>





	But you

Danse rubbed the back of his neck when he recalled how furious Elder Maxson had been after he reported in that Sentinel Foster was AWOL. Again. It was the third time she hadn’t reported in over the last month. The Paladin exhaled heavily into the early evening. _What are you up to Nora?_

The Lancer piloted the vertibird through the concrete skeletons of skyscrapers before landing near Old North church. Danse jumped out and jogged in the direction of Goodneighbour. His former recruit had been spotted there for the last week. He only hoped that she was still there when he arrived.

The sky had darkened and the neon signs around the seedy settlement stood out against the dark background. It was well known that the Brotherhood were openly hated here and Danse was thankful he had the good sense to wear his power armour. What the hell Nora was doing here, he had no idea.

He asked around if anyone had seen her, but most people sneered and walked off. One woman actually spat at his boots. It was clear no one was going to help him around here. He was just about to resign and head to the hotel, when he spotted her down an alley beside the building.

Her chestnut brown hair was scraped back off her face in a high braid, the way she normally wore it out on the field. She wasn’t wearing her fatigues, choosing to wear a leather jacket and tight denim jeans that clung to her toned thighs. Danse stopped his train of thought before it could continue. He would expect such behaviour from an Initiate, not a man of his age or rank.

He could hear her voice as he approached, rushed and low, she was upset with something. “You sold it to me for half that yesterday! You listen to me Fred, you’re going to sell it to me usual price or else I'll take my business else where.” The man’s eyes widened when he noticed the Paladin coming over.

Nora waved her caps pouch in her fist and Danse snatched it. She rolled her eyes when she turned and saw the large man staring down at her. She wondered when someone was going to be sent out after her. Maxson had warned her after last time. Danse ignored her and stared at the smaller man who was quaking in his worn down boots. “Did you intend to sell this woman chems?”

Fred Allen shook all over. This was meant to be an easy deal. The woman, Nora, she had come to him a few times over the last month, always paid on time and walked away without starting any fights. This was turning out to be anything but easy. He didn’t know who the fuck the big guy was, but from his giant suit of steel, he took an educated guess that he was some Brotherhood guy.

“I-I-I…. n-no of c-course not!”

Fred sprinted back up the alley without glancing back. He enjoyed living too much.

Nora clicked her tongue irritably, her palm held upwards waiting for her caps back. “Thanks a lot Danse!” Danse scowled darkly and wrinkled his nose, she smelled like the inside of a bar, but she seemed unfazed by it, her hand still awaiting her pouch. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing Nor- Sentinel?!”

Her eyes rolled again nonchalantly. “Just give me back my caps. You scared the guy off.” She tried to snatch the pouch from his hand, Danse held it up out of her reach. _What was she doing to herself?_ He shook his head. Nora tried to run away, but he caught her arm. “No because you’re just going to chase after him and buy chems. Why are you doing this soldier? This isn’t like you.”

The laugh that erupted from her lips was cold and callous. It wasn’t her usual throaty hysterical snorts that embarrassed her. He always found it charming. Her amber eyes turned frosty, glaring at him and he felt a chill run down his back.

“Isn’t like me? What would you know about that? Because I always thought I would be a loving mother and a big shot lawyer. Now? Now, I don’t even recognise myself. I just blew up my son for the fucking Commonwealth’s protection! I have nothing left to live for! So I came here to buy some Jet and just forget that for a little bit. Okay? Is that answer satisfactory Paladin?”

He winced at her cutting tone. It was the first time she had spoken about the Institute. After they had blown the place sky high, she had shut down any conversation about it, refusing to talk to anyone. After Elder Maxson had promoted her, she disappeared for a week. She returned after and apologised for her absence and that had been the end of that.

Danse hadn’t realised just how much it had affected her. He berated himself for not being there for her. “Of course you have something to live for. You have the Brotherho-”

She cut him off. “You really think Arthur fucking Maxson – Mr High-and-oh-so-fucking-Mighty – gives two shits about me?! You think he sits in his giant balloon worried about what happens to me? No Danse, I have nothing and no one.” She tried to leave again and Danse let go of the tight grip he had on her bicep.

He spoke so softly, that she almost missed what he said. “You have me… I care about what happens to you.” Nora stopped in her tracks and spun around on her heel. Her heart raced and she felt the heat crawling up her neck. She opened her mouth to ask him why, but as per usual she couldn’t stop the snarky comments from spilling out. “Well, if all I have left is my former CO, that’s a pretty pathetic existence.”

She cringed when she saw his face fall and cursed to herself for hurting the only person she hadn’t managed to push away. Nora looked down at the broken concrete, scuffing the toe of her boots against the hard surface. When she lifted her gaze to his face, she saw his sad brown eyes watching her. “Is that all I am to you? After all these months?”

Her heart fluttered again and the heat continued up her face. She felt like someone had just pulled the rug out from underneath her. Was he saying what she thought – what she _hoped_ he was saying? “… W-what do you mean?”

He stepped forward carefully, as though she was a frightened animal that might run the moment he got close. Well, he wasn’t that far off from the truth as she did turn to run. She paused when he called her name. “Nora, I care about you. More than I should. And seeing you like this… Watching you poison yourself with these toxins, it kills me. You used to be so full of life, sharp, witty and sarcastic. It’s what I love about you. I can’t stand to see you like this.”

Unbidden the tears came and left tracks in the dirt on her face. _He really does care_ , she thought to herself. “You… you do? Why didn’t you say anything before then?!” He closed the distance between them and touched an armoured hand to her face, catching the tears. “How could I? It’s not right for me to want to be with you. I wanted to give you time to grieve. Your husband-”

“My husband… was no husband to me. Nate cheated on me plenty of times while he fought in the war. Our marriage? It was a sham. We married because I was pregnant and our parents didn't want a bastard child to tarnish their family names.

The only reason we stayed together was because of Shaun. Our son was the only good thing I had in my life back then. I never loved Nate. But you…”

A shy smile curled her lips upward and her amber eyes burned like fire. Danse nodded his head, understanding.

“But you.” he echoed.

**Author's Note:**

> Just some fluff I wrote a while back. Enjoy!
> 
>  
> 
> (Can you tell that I'm a sucker for Paladin Danse from my works?)


End file.
